NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Venus figurines

Venus figurines is an umbrella term for a number of prehistoric statuettes of women sharing common attributes (many depicted as apparently obese or pregnant) from the Aurignacian or Gravettian period of the upper Palaeolithic, found from Western Europe to Siberia. These items were carved from soft stone (such as steatite, calcite or limestone), bone or ivory, or formed of clay and fired. The latter are among the oldest ceramics known. In total, over a hundred such figurines are known; virtually all of modest size, between 4 cm and 25 cm in height. Venus of Willendorf Venus of Willendorf, also known as the Woman of Willendorf, is an 11. ... An umbrella term is a word that provides a superset or grouping of related concepts, also called a hypernym. ... Stonehenge, England, erected by Neolithic peoples ca. ... Rodins The Thinker is a man leaning onto the top of his penis. ... Obesity is an excess storage of fat and can affect any mammal, such as the mouse on the left. ... A pregnant woman Pregnancy is the process by which a mammalian female carries a live offspring from conception until it develops to the point where the offspring is capable of living outside the womb. ... Aurignacian is the name of a culture of the Upper Palaeolithic present in Europe and south west Asia. ... The Gravettian was an industry of the European Upper Palaeolithic. ... The Upper Paleolithic or Palaeolithic is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ... This article is about Siberia as a whole. ... An Egyptian carved and glazed steatite scarab amulet. ... Doubly refracting Calcite from Iceberg claim, Dixon, New Mexico. ... For other uses, see Limestone (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Clay (disambiguation). ... This article is about ceramic materials. ...

History of discovery

The first Upper Paleolithic representation of a woman was discovered about 1864 by the Marquis de Vibraye, at Laugerie-Basse (Dordogne), where initial archaeological surveys had already been undertaken; Vibraye named his find the Vénus impudique, a knowing contrast to the "modest" Venus Pudica Hellenistic type, the most famous of which is the Medici Venus. The Magdalenian "Venus" from Laugerie-Basse is headless, footless, armless but with a strongly incised vaginal opening.^[1] Another example of such a figure being discovered and recognised was the Venus of Brassempouy, found by Édouard Piette in 1894 (but not originally labelled as a "Venus"). Four years later, Salomon Reinach published a group of steatite figurines from the caves of Balzi Rossi. The famous Venus of Willendorf was excavated in 1908 in a loess deposit in the Danube valley, Austria. Since then, hundreds of similar figurines have been discovered from the Pyrenees to the plains of Siberia. They are collectively described as "Venus" figurines in reference to the Roman goddess of beauty, Venus, since the prehistorians of the early 20th century assumed they represented an ancient ideal of beauty. Early discourse on "Venus" figurines was coloured by concerns to identify the race being represented; since the late twentieth century controversy has shifted to the inappropriate invocation by contrast of an abandoned classical canon of beauty on the one hand and the steatopygous fascination of Sartje Baartman, the "Hottentot Venus" exhibited as a living ethnographic curiosity to connoisseurs in Paris early in the nineteenth century.^[2] The Venus of Brassempouy can hardly be included with the other Venus figurines because she is so unlike them. ... ChÃ¢teau de Cheverny The ChÃ¢teau de Cheverny is located at Cheverny, in the dÃ©partement of Lair-et-Cher in the Loire Valley in France. ... medici venus ... The Magdalenian, also spelt MagdalÃ©nien, refers to one of the later culture of the Upper Palaeolithic in western Europe. ... The Venus of Brassempouy can hardly be included with the other Venus figurines because she is so unlike them. ... An Egyptian carved and glazed steatite scarab amulet. ... Venus of Willendorf Venus of Willendorf, also known as the Woman of Willendorf, is an 11. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the Danube River. ... Pic de Bugatetin the NÃ©ouvielle Natural Reserve Central Pyrenees For the mountains in Victoria, Australia, see Pyrenees (Victoria). ... This article is about Siberia as a whole. ... A head of Minerva found in the ruins of the Roman baths in Bath Roman mythology, the mythological beliefs of the people of Ancient Rome, can be considered as having two parts. ... For other uses, see Venus (disambiguation). ... Stonehenge, England, erected by Neolithic peoples ca. ... Saartjie Baartman (1789-1815) was the most famous of at least two Hottentot women who were exhibited as sideshow attractions in 19th century Europe under the name Hottentot Venus . ...

Description

The majority of the Venus figurines appear to be depictions of females that follow certain artistic conventions, on the lines of schematisation and stylisation. Most of them are roughly lozenge-shaped, with two tapering terminals at top (head) and bottom (legs) and the widest point in the middle (hips/belly). In some examples, certain parts of the human anatomy are exaggerated: abdomen, hips, breasts, thighs, vulva. In contrast, other anatomical details are neglected or absent, especially arms and feet. The heads are often of relatively small size and devoid of detail. The abdomen in a human and an ant. ... In anatomy, the hip is the bony projection of the femur which is known as the greater trochanter, and the overlying muscle and fat. ... For other uses, see Breast (disambiguation). ... In humans the thigh is the area between the pelvis and buttocks and the knee. ... The vulva (from Latin, vulva, plural vulvae or vulvas; see etymology) is the region of the external genital organs of the female, including the labia majora, mons pubis, labia minora, clitoris, bulb of the vestibule, vestibule of the vagina, greater and lesser vestibular glands, and vaginal orifice. ...

The question of the steatopygia of some of the figurines has led to numerous controversies. The issue was first raised by Édouard Piette, excavator of the Brassempouy figure and of several other examples from the Pyrenees. Some authors saw this feature as the depiction of an actual physical property, resembling the Khoisan tribe of southern Africa, while others interpreted it as a symbol of fertility and abundance. It must be noted in this context, that not all Palaeolithic female figurines are rotund or have exaggerated feminine features. Also, not all are devoid of facial features. Steatopygia is a high degree of fat accumulation in and around the buttocks. ... Khoisan (increasingly commonly spelled Khoesan or Khoe-San) is the name for two major ethnic groups of southern Africa. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ...

The Venus of Willendorf and the Venus of Laussel bear traces of having been externally covered in red ochre. The significance of this is not clear, but is normally assumed to be religious or ritual in nature. Venus of Willendorf Venus of Willendorf, also known as the Woman of Willendorf, is an 11. ... The Venus of Laussel is one of the so-called Venus figurines. ... Red ochre and yellow ochre (pronounced //, from the Greek ochros, yellow) are pigments made from naturally tinted clay. ...

All generally accepted Paleolithic female figurines are from the Upper Palaeolithic. Although they were originally mostly considered Aurignacian, the majority is now associated with the Gravettian and Solutrean. In these periods, the more rotund figurines are predominant. During the Magdalenian, the forms become finer with more detail; conventional stylization also develops. The Upper Paleolithic or Palaeolithic is the third and last subdivision of the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age as it is understood in Europe, Africa and Asia. ... Aurignacian is the name of a culture of the Upper Palaeolithic present in Europe and south west Asia. ... The Gravettian was an industry of the European Upper Palaeolithic. ... The Solutrean industry was an advanced flint tool making style of the Upper Palaeolithic. ... The Magdalenian, also spelt MagdalÃ©nien, refers to one of the later culture of the Upper Palaeolithic in western Europe. ...

Classification

A number of attempts to subdivide or classify the figurines have been made. One of the less controversial is that by Henri Delporte, simply based on geographic provenance^[3]. He distinguishes:

According to André Leroi-Gourhan, there are cultural connections between all these groups. He states that certain anatomical details suggest a shared Oriental origin, followed by a westward diffusion.^[4]. Pic de Bugatetin the NÃ©ouvielle Natural Reserve Central Pyrenees For the mountains in Victoria, Australia, see Pyrenees (Victoria). ... (Region flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Regional President Departments Dordogne Gironde Landes Lot-et-Garonne PyrÃ©nÃ©es-Atlantiques Arrondissements 18 Cantons 235 Communes 2,296 Statistics Land area1 41,308 kmÂ² Population (Ranked 6th) - January 1, 2006 est. ... The Venus of Lespugue is a Venus figurine, a statuette of a nude female figure from approximately 25,000 BC. It was discovered in 1922 in the Rideaux cave of Lespugue (Haute-Garonne) in the foothills of the Pyrenees. ... The Venus of Laussel is one of the so-called Venus figurines. ... The Venus of Brassempouy can hardly be included with the other Venus figurines because she is so unlike them. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... For other uses, see Rhine (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Danube River. ... Venus of Willendorf Venus of Willendorf, also known as the Woman of Willendorf, is an 11. ... Venus of DolnÃ VÄ›stonice The Venus of DolnÃ VÄ›stonice (VÄ›stonickÃ¡ VenuÅ¡e in Czech) is a Venus figurine, a ceramic statuette of a nude female figure dated to 29,000â€“25,000 BCE (Gravettian industry). ... This article is about Siberia as a whole. ... AndrÃ© Leroi-Gourhan (August 25, 1911 - February 19, 1986) was a French archaeologist, paleontologist, paleoanthropologist, and anthropologist with an interest in technology and aesthetics. ...

The absence of such figurines from the Iberian peninsula is curious. Only few and rather dubious examples have been reported, especially at El Pendo and La Pileta. The so-called Venus of Las Caldas from a cave near Oviedo is a Magdalenian antler carving. Although some scholars see it as a stylised female body with an animal head, it is probably a decorated atlatl-type device. The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Magdalenian, also spelt MagdalÃ©nien, refers to one of the later culture of the Upper Palaeolithic in western Europe. ... For the Poet Laureate of Milwaukee, see Antler (Poet). ... An atlatl (from Nahuatl ahtlatl ; in English pronounced [1] or [2]) or spear-thrower is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in spear-throwing, and includes a bearing surface which allows the user to temporarily store energy during the throw. ...

Interpretation

There are many interpretations of the figurines, often based on little argument or fact. Like many prehistoric artifacts, the cultural meaning of these figures may never be known. Archaeologists speculate, however, that they may be emblems of security and success, fertility icons, pornographic imagery, or even direct representations of a Great Goddess or Mother Goddess or various local goddesses. The female figures, as part of Upper Palaeolithic portable art, appear to have no practical use in the context of subsistence. They are mostly discovered in settlement contexts, both in open-air sites and caves; burial contexts are much rarer. Fertility is the natural capability of giving life. ... A Mother Goddess is a goddess portrayed as the Earth Mother who serves as a general fertility deity, the bountiful embodiment of the earth. ... A Cucuteni culture statuette, 4th millennium BC. A mother goddess is a goddess, often portrayed as the Earth Mother, who serves as a general fertility deity, the bountiful embodiment of the earth. ... For the 1934 film, see The Goddess (1934 film). ... The following is a list of subsistence techniques: Hunting and Gathering, also known as Foraging freeganism involves gathering of discarded food in the context of an urban environment gleaning involves the gathering of food that traditional farmers have left behind in their fields Cultivation Horticulture - plant cultivation, based on the...

At Gagarino in Russia, seven Venus figurines were found in a hut of 5 m diameter; they a have been interpreted as apotropaic amulets, connected with the occupants of the dwelling. At Mal'ta, near Lake Baikal, figurines are only known from the left sides of huts. The figurines were probably not hidden or secret amulets, but rather were displayed to be seen by all (a factor that may explain their wide geographic spread). Apotropaic is an adjective that means intended to ward off evil or averting or combating evil and commonly refers to objects such as amulets and talismans or other symbols. ... An amulet from the Black Pullet grimoire An amulet (from Latin amuletum, meaning A means of protection) consists of any object intended to bring good luck and/or protection to its owner. ... Baikal redirects here. ...

The apparent obesity of the figures strongly implies a focus on fertility as, at the time of their construction, human society had not yet invented farming and did not have ready access to rich or plentiful foodstuffs. An image of excess weight may have symbolized a yearning for plenty and security. Nevertheless, the widespread theories concerning a possibly fertility cult or a Mother Goddess are entirely speculative and cannot be scientifically evaluated. Young people interacting within an ethnically diverse society. ... Farming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). ... A Cucuteni culture statuette, 4th millennium BC. A mother goddess is a goddess, often portrayed as the Earth Mother, who serves as a general fertility deity, the bountiful embodiment of the earth. ...

Recently, two very ancient stone objects (between 200,000 and 300,000 years old) have been interpreted as attempts at representing females. One, the Venus of Berekhat Ram was discovered on the Golan Heights, the other, the Venus of Tan-Tan in Morocco. Both pieces remain controversial. In any case, both are at best very cursorily and marginally carved, at worst simply natural, their anthropomorphic appearance being coincidence. The Venus of Berekhet Ram is a small venus figurine that was found on the Golan Heights in Israel. ... The Golan Heights (â€Ž Ramat HaGolan, Arabic: Habat al-Å«lÄn) or Golan is a mountainous area in northeastern Israel[1] on the border of Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. ... Venus of Tan-Tan The Venus of Tan-Tan was found in Morocco. ...

Some scholars and popular theorists suggest a direct continuity between the Palaeolithic female figurines, and later examples of female depictions from the Neolithic or even the Bronze Age.^[5] Such views have been contested on numerous grounds, not least the general absence of such depictions during the intervening Mesolithic. An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... The Mesolithic (Greek mesos=middle and lithos=stone or the Middle Stone Age[1]) was a period in the development of human technology between the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods of the Stone Age. ...

Contents

History of discovery

Description

Classification

Interpretation

See also

Gallery

Bibliography

References

External links

Contents

History of discovery GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Description

Classification

Interpretation

See also

Gallery

Bibliography

References

External links

History of discovery